On this episode of the Cannon Stats Podcast, Scott and Adam take advantage of the international break to dig into how Mikel Arteta is managing Arsenal’s loaded roster through the first three months of the 2026–27 campaign, check in on Martin Zubimendi and rank some midfielders.
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In the first part of the show Scott lays out his philosophy on player usage, preferring to see the best players on the pitch while deferring to the club on load management and backs it up with the numbers.
In the second part of the episode, the discussion shifts to Zubimendi who has gotten a bit of the short end of the minutes stick so far. With zero Premier League starts so far and candid new quotes admitting that last season’s heavy workload left him physically spent, Scott and Adam examine where Zubimendi fits in a crowded midfield room featuring Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Bruno Guimarães, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eberechi Eze, and Mikel Merino. They weigh whether Arsenal now carry too many starter-level midfielders, what Zubimendi’s role looks like as a luxury late-game closer and spring insurance policy, and whether there is any realistic scenario where the club would entertain a January sale despite Zubimendi shutting down the transfer rumors himself.
Finally, Adam takes the floor to make the statistical and tactical case for Declan Rice as the Premier League’s premier defensive midfielder so far this season. They break down how Rice’s role has evolved alongside Arsenal’s new midfield pieces, why his blend of defensive coverage and on-ball progression continues to separate him from the rest of the league’s #6s, and what’s next on the calendar once club football resumes.
